Cranberry & Pistachio Biscotti

Merry Christmas to you all!Hope you all have grand plans for the day.I made these a while back but was saving the post for today as I thought there cannot be a better and an apt recipe I can post for X'mas.

Recipe:Martha Stewart

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
3 cups All purpose flour, plus for dusting
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4tbsps unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped

• Preheat the oven to 375F;Line baking sheets with Parchment paper
• Add boiling water to cranberries and put them aside until they plump;Drain the water from cranberries
• Sift the dry ingredients-flour, salt and baking powder
• Beat butter, sugar on medium speed until fluffy
• Add eggs one at a time;mix in Vanilla extract
• Add the dry ingredients, slowly and mix well on low speed
• Add cranberries and pistas
• Place the dough on a floured surface and divide in half
• Make each half in to a log and put it on the baking sheet
• Flatten logs and brush the egg on the logs;Sprinkle with sugar
• Bale until logs are firm ot the touch about 25 min
• Place the logs on a wire rack to cool slightly
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300F
• Cut the logs crosswise using a serrated knife, about 1/2 inch thick
• Place the wire rack on a baking sheet and arrange the slices on the rack
• Bake until firm about half hour
• Remove from the oven and let them cool down on the rack

Have a safe holiday:-)

Hugs
Shri

Curried Red Lentil Soup

Did you guys notice my blog is acting funny and I have no idea why?!
Well, besides, cleaning up the snow on the driveways, there is not much we can do this weekend..So make a hot soup, sit back and relax!

1 cup Red Lentils, soaked for 15 min
6-8 cups water/Veg stock
1 large onion ,chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder (I used Fresh Market curry powder)
2 tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 red potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup Mixed Veggies (Optional)
I also added Spinach
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

• Saute Onion, garlic, potatoes and tomatoes
• Stir in the spices-Curry Powder, Cumin-Coriander and turmeric
• Add tomato sauce
• Cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the thawed veggies and cook for 8-10 min
• Pour water and bring to a boil once
• Add lentils and cook for about 40 min until the lentils are soft, mushy and cooked through
• Garnish with coriander and with a dollop of yogurt

This goes to MLLA-18 guest hosted by Srivalli and an event started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Cilantro Lime Rice & a T&T (Nags' Marie Biscuit Logs)

Have you watched Julie & Julia?We wanted to watch it while it was in the theaters, but realized that with 'S', it may not be possible, now that she is older.Believe it or not, we used to go to 10'0 clock shows until she was an year and a half.We even went to James Bond movie and she was very oblivious to the sounds and chaos going on in the movie.Can you imagine that?So, anyway, we waited for the DVD and last weekend I watched it.It is a very neat and a well made movie.I should also admit that there could be a small element of bias due to my liking for Meryl Streep.She is a natural particularly in comedy.

On to the recipe:

2 bunches of Cilantro, stalks removed and washed clean
1 small onion , chopped
1 garlic clove
2 cups short grain rice
5 cups water/broth
Juice from half lime
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies

• Heat a tbsp of Olive oil in a pan.
• Add cumin seeds and Chillies fry for a couple of min
• Saute the cilantro
• In a blender, add garlic, onions, sauteed cilantro, cumin and chillies.Stir in a tablespoon of water, just necessary to let the blender going.
• Make the ingredients into a paste, not too runny though and keep it aside
• Cook rice with 5 or more cups water.The rice should not be mushy.The rice should be soft and like the rice that you cook for Pulav or Biryani.Change the ratio of water as necessary.
  
• Once the rice is cooked, let it cool down for about 10 min
• Gently mix the Cilantro paste and salt with rice.
• Stir in the lime juice.Serve hot.

A T&T -Nags' Marie Biscuit Chocolate Logs.

DH calls this 'Marie Tiramisu' and I think it resembles Mini Dobos Torte in its color and look !It tastes just as delicious.An easy and a decadent recipe.It takes you hardly a few min to put the ingredients together and refrigerate.I fell in love with it and who wouldn't?
For a better quality pic and recipe, please follow the link above.Y'know, before this, I made a couple of times and never did I get a chance to take the pic.It was over in no time .This time, I was determined to take the pic regardless of how it came out to be,light, no light, it didn't matter.So this is the end result:-)



Have fun
Shri

Carrot Soup

The whole of last week, we have been under the weather.My daughter had cold, cough and fever and we were quite scared where that would turn into flu of some sort but luckily, she just had cold and fever.(Touch Wood!).Just when I thought, she is getting better, V started to sneeze and even before you could do anything about it he is down with some cold, sore throat...Ahh!!
Between the three of us, I guess I am healthy with a minor knee pain which I injured during Summer by hitting a shopping cart and it got worse while I was jogging.So that is not ready to go away!But I will take that as long as I don't go down with some flu like symptoms.So our week was very eventful.To end such a week, a comforting soup was just what we needed-simple and easy to make.

Among a few of my favorite events (in the blogging world), Monthly Mingle and MLLA are very close to my heart.I have been busy lately to participate.But I guess, this month I have two dishes that I can send to both my favorite events!

Source:All over the internet!

2 lbs of Carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 small onion,chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
3 tbsps butter
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp Curry powder
1 tbsp Cumin-Coriander powder
Pinch of turmeric
2 oz Orange Juice, optional
6 cups water/broth/stock
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt or Whole milk Yogurt like Stonyfield

• Melt butter in a wide and heavy bottomed pan
• Saute Onions and cook till translucent
• Add potatoes and fry them for a few minutes
• Add the spices-Ginger garlic paste, Curry Powder, Cumin-Coriander powder, turmeric.
• Add the carrots and stir in the orange juice
• Pour 6 cups of water and let it boil for about 25-30 minutes until the carrots are cooked well
• Puree it in a blender.(I am not sure if blending hot ingredients would ruin the blender, so I let it cool a bit. But if you know that there is no correlation, go ahead and blend it)
• Do it in batches
• Pour it back in the pan and let the puree simmer for a few min.
• Serve hot/warm based on your preferences but don't forget to add the sour cream or thick yogurt.

This is going to Monthly Mingle:Soups, this month hosted by Harini of TongueTicklers, event started by Meeta

Have fun
Shri

Angel Food Cake w/Lime glaze & Raspberry whipped cream

The weather is slowly getting cold here in the North east and we had our first snow as well for the season.I was not ready when we had the snow fall over the weekend especially because of our trip to Florida, which was very warm.My daughter, however, enjoyed the snow and tried to make a snowman.After so much activity, it is nice to be back home and eat Dal and rice.We are still in the process of unpacking, with laundry piled up high.Overall, at the moment, my house in an embarrassment.

Before our trip, we had a party at our house, a potluck party and when everyone got main courses and sides, I made this Angel Food cake.At first, I was skeptical to serve the cake with Raspberry whipped cream.If it did not go well with the cake, I was ready to eat it all by myself.My love for Raspberry creams started when I made the filling for Macarons.Since Angel food cake is a very light cake, I combined Raspberry Jam with Light whipped cream.It was perfect but for those of you who don't have much fascination for fruit fillings and toppings, you can eat as is or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Adapted from Emeril's

• 1 cup Cake flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups egg whites,about 12 eggs
• 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
• 2 tsp Lime juice (The recipe calls for lemon but I used limes)
• 2 tsps + 2 1/2 tbsps Lime juice
• 1 tsp cold water
• 1 1/2 tsps Vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar,sifted
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• Pinch of salt

Procedure

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Do not grease the pan
• Using 2 parchment papers, (about 8X12 in size), sift the cake flour and 1/4 cup sugar 4 times, going back and forth between the papers
• Sift 1 cup of granulated sugar on another paper
• Beat the egg whites in a DRY bowl (absolutely no moisture) until foamy
• Add the salt, cream of tartar, 2 tsps lime juice juice, water, vanilla and almond extracts.
• Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the whites are nearly stiff.
• Lower the speed to medium-low and beat in the sifted sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms stiff peaks yet is not dry.(Follow the instructions of adding 2 tbsps at a time. Learned the hard way)
• Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture on top of the beaten egg whites. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold together. Repeat this 3 more times with the remaining flour mixture, each time folding very gently together.
• Pour the batter into a 10 inch tube pan and run a knife in the batter to take out any air bubbles
  
• Bake the cake until the top is lightly golden and the cake springs back when touched lightly, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Invert the pan and let it cool for an hour or so.
  
  
  
  
• Run a knife around the inner and outer edges of the cake pan to loosen it from the sides.
  
• Combine confectioners' sugar, lime juice, and zest and stir until smooth. (The glaze should be thick enough to cling to the sides of the cake yet still fluid)Adjust it as needed. If the glaze is too thin, add a bit more confectioners' sugar. If too thick, add more citrus juice. Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing some to drip down the sides. Let the glaze set before serving the cake.
  

Raspberry Cream

4 oz of light whipped topping (You can find that in the freezer section)
4 oz of Seedless Raspberry Jam
2 tbsps of powdered sugar

Combine them together and refrigerate it until you are ready to use.
Based on you sweet you like, you can skip the sugar or add more sugar.



Make it, eat it and enjoy it,

Hugs,
Shri

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Hope you all are doing well! We had a great time on our trip and brought back good memories and some wonderful pictures.The first half, we spent in Disney, going around the parks.The next half, we went on an air boat ride (inspired after CSI:Miami:D:) and we drove all the way to Key west, the southern most point in the continental US.THAT was one beautiful and an unforgettable drive.The theme parks were exhausting given how we had to run around and stand in lines.But the drive to Keys and our stay there was fantastic.
I don't have to elaborate on Disney.All of you would have visited by now.This was my first there!
If I were to mention in a few words- its Rides, Characters & Castles, and fireworks!
Key West (also known as Conch Republic), on the other hand, I can run out of words to describe the beauty of that place.There is only 1 and only road that goes in and out of that place.
It is about 6 1/2 hr drive from Orlando.Once you hit Route 1, you can see turquoise and cobalt blue colored ocean on either side of the road.And NO! I am not exaggerating when I say Turquoise and Cobalt blue colors.It is truly the case..
Key West is popular for its Sunrise and Sunset, weather permitting of course.The place is also known for some famous people's houses like Truman and Hemingway. You can see the only living coral reef in US from a glass boat.OR you can just relax on the beach and watch sun go down!Looks like I am yapping too much!I will post the pics soon...

Also, my blog is acting out on me.I have no idea why the comments section is not working properly.While I look into it, if any of you have any problems, please email me at tastytouchblog@gmail.com.I know, all you guys have posted so many dishes/posts and I know I have some catching up to do!In the mean time, here is a simple dish that you can snack on or eat as a side.

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp Orange Juice (Preferably with some pulp)
2 tbsp Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Pinch of Cinnamon

• Preheat the oven to 450F.
• Spray a baking dish with a non stick spray.
• Spread the potatoes in a single layer
• Drizzle with Olive oil and season with salt and pepper
• Combine all of them with hands, clean hands!!He he he!
• Bake in the oven for about 28-30 min or until the potatoes are tender.

For the glaze

• Mix Orange juice and maple syrup.
• Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon
• Pour the glaze on the potatoes and bake for an additional 8 minutes.

Take care,
Shri